This document discusses how the media product uses, develops, and challenges conventions of indie music videos. It incorporates common indie conventions like quick cuts and low-budget settings. Where conventions couldn't be replicated, such as using the band in performances, a symbolic narrative was used instead. Close-up shots focused on youth symbols rather than band members. The representation of youth as fun rather than destructive challenged typical indie conventions. A pink color filter presented a more positive depiction than typical black-and-white filters. Overall, the media product engaged with indie conventions while adapting and challenging norms around representing youth.

2. QUESTION
In what ways does your media product use, develop or
challenge forms and conventions of real media products?

3. USE OF FORMS AND CONVENTIONS
Our media product is within the genre of indie rock and as
such we wanted to incorporate multiple conventions often
associated and seen within indie music videos.
One significant example of this is the use of the editing
technique quick cuts between scenes to work in cohesion with
the often upbeat tempo of the music. Moreover, it usually
works in favour of the themes and as a main one of ours was
the fast paced lifestyle of youth it was decided that the genre
convention would improve the final outcome of our work.

4. USE OF FORMS AND CONVENTIONS
Another convention that we conformed to is the use of low
budget settings. As indie music is derived from independent
bands and music records the budget is much smaller than
those employed in large scale conglomerates such as Sony.
We used public locations that are free to have access to as we
wanted the final product to be representative of both the indie
genre but also of what youth have access to in modern society
which is often neglecting of young needs in society. Therefore,
urban and dilapidated locations such as an empty paddling
pool, playground and forest serves the final product well.

5. DEVELOPMENT OF FORMS AND CONVENTIONS
There were multiple conventions of indie music videos that we
wanted to incorporate but did not have the means to do so and
as such we adapted them to fit what was available to us much
in the spirit of an indie production company.
For instance, the performance aspect of an indie music video
is often used in place of a narrative that works in the expected
way of other genres. For example, a pop music video often
conforms to Todorov’s, or Freytag’s, narrative theory. We did
not have access to the band and as such we changed the
performance idea to a symbolic and thematic non-linear
narrative.

6. DEVELOPMENT OF FORMS AND CONVENTIONS
Our thematic music videos narrative lies in the story of a group
of friends who share norms and values within a youth
subculture that links strongly to ideas associated with societal
deviants described by Anne Gould. The video itself tells a
story of fun and rebellion through multiple days that are used
to represent many days of youth life.
Moreover, as an extension of this a performance video allows
for multitudes of camera close up shots. As we instead created
a thematic and symbolic video we chose to make the close up
and extreme close ups focus on the symbols of youth.

7. DEVELOPMENT OF FORMS AND CONVENTIONS
For example, to replace a close up shot of the lead singer,
who serves as the figurehead of the group, we chose to do a
close up on a hand holding a cigarette which is often seen as
a symbol of youth due to its associations of self-destructive
nihilistic and rebellious tendencies. Again making a link to
Anne Gould’s theory of youth as sexual, nihilistic, self-
destructive, violent, rebellious and an artificial tribe.
Close up shots were often seen in music videos as selling to
the masses, in accordance with Andrew Goodwin’s music
video theory, but as an indie band and music video we chose
to adapt this.

8. CHALLENGING OF FORMS AND CONVENTIONS
The main subversion of conventions of indie music videos is
our representations of youth as a theme. Youth is often seen
as violent and destructive in older indie music videos but a
recent deviation is to depict youth as fun and trouble in relation
to Hebdige’s theory of youth. As such we wanted to change
the perceptions of youth and create a more accurate and
positive rendition of not only a theme but a subculture of
people in society.
We did this through symbolism that is often associated with
childhood and naivety such as the playground scenes to show
how youth are in a no-mans land of age.

9. CHALLENGING OF FORMS AND CONVENTIONS
Youth are neither children or adults and often find their
representations to be manipulated by other groups norms and
values. As our song is called “A Young Understanding” we felt
it was vital to help change these depictions and
representations.
We also stepped away from black and white filters which are
often used as their connotations are more negative and
instead employed a pink gradient filter that automatically has
more positive connotations.

10. CONCLUSION
In conclusion we have used, developed and challenged many
forms, conventions, norms and values associated with the
production of indie music videos.
Many of these ideas also translated into my ancillary products
of my website and digipak despite some changes.